The Missing Memories
by lemnlime7
Summary: In the aftermath of BotW, Zelda shares with Link some previously unrevealed memories about their pasts... Final Memory: After collecting all three dragon scales, Link and Zelda go to the Temple of Time's ruins where they soon discover the legendary significance of that place
1. New Beginnings

_"...Do you remember me?"_

 _"Of course... How could I ever forget you?"_

.

Following Ganon's defeat at the hands of a destined hero and a goddess reborn, the immense work of rebuilding Hyrule now lays ahead of them. Where to even begin? The most obvious location, of course, is Castle Town. Although the castle was left mostly intact following Ganon's assault one hundred years ago, Castle Town to the south had the misfortune of being completely leveled during the same. It had been the most important settlement in all of Hyrule because of its central location, serving as the commercial hub for the entire kingdom.

The duo dismount their respective horses and take a rest on a grassy knoll overlooking the ruins of Castle Town. Link starts a fire with some flint and logs while Zelda uses a cooking pot to prepare a lunch of Hyrule bass and carrots.

Although most of the lunch occurs in silence, as is customary between them, that silence is broken when Link unexpectedly ventures a question. He considers his words carefully before uttering them, slowly and softly. "Zelda...what exactly do you know about my past? Do you...know anything about my family?"

Zelda is startled to hear him speak out of the blue. She's always known Link to be a man of few words and the few things he does say are usually focused on concern for Zelda's own welfare. Thus, she knows immediately that this question, one which concerns only himself, must be of great importance to him. Judging from the weary look on his face, this question has likely been tormenting him for much time.

Zelda is torn about how to answer him... Although she certainly doesn't desire to harbor any secrets from him which could only possibly lead to resentment, there was, in fact, a good reason why she had only given Impa a handful of pictures for the purpose of helping Link recall his memories...

"You did once tell me a few things about your past..." Zelda hesitantly admits after a long pause, "...but...I'm afraid those stories are better left forgotten." She sincerely hopes he will take the hint and drop the subject. However, an adventurer like him naturally doesn't give up so easily. It only serves to make him more curious and determined.

"I've already made up my mind that I don't care if my past was traumatic—I still want to know more about it. Questions about my past have been eating me up inside ever since I saw you a few days ago, the first time in a hundred years. I was flooded all at once with a mountain of incredibly vague memories, of blurry faces and sketchy conversations. I knew as soon as I saw you that the two of us must go way back, much farther than even a hundred years."

He makes sure to lock eyes with her before continuing. "I've already seen and done a lot of unpleasant things since I woke up, Zelda. So don't worry about upsetting me. I can handle whatever news you have for me. It's just...I _need_ to know about my past if I ever want to be able to put it behind me and move on. Without an understanding of it, there can be no acceptance."

Zelda sighs heavily. There's no doubt in her mind that it's useless to resist any further. Link has never spoken so much at length about anything personal to him. Clearly, this is what he wants and nothing is about to change his mind.

"If that's what you wish..." Zelda relents.

O.O.O.O.O.O

 _A boy of approximately thirteen wearing tattered, soiled clothing and holding an armful of bread is seen running away from an angry vendor in Castle Town. The boy turns a corner between two houses and runs down a few alleys until he is satisfied that he is no longer being pursued. He leans against the cold stone of a house and lets out a sigh before eagerly biting into a loaf of bread, clearly ravenous with hunger. He is startled when the shopkeeper he thought he had lost unexpectedly appears from around a corner and makes a grab for the boy's arm before he can flee again._

 _The boy feels a horrible sickness in his stomach. Although he has thus far been fortunate enough to seldom get caught, the occasional slip-up is inevitable considering the frequency with which he takes the five-finger discount. At his age, he's already well aware that stealing is a crime and that for every crime, there is a punishment. It matters to no one that he's simply doing what he feels he must do to survive. He has learned the unfairness of life from an early age and has simply come to accept it._

 _At first, it looks as if the shopkeeper is merely taking the boy back to his food stand where he will either deliver a stern warning or mete out a beating in the hope of deterring the child from such activities in the future. The boy is generally lucky enough to only receive the former, but he's certainly no stranger to the latter. As the vendor pulls him past the food stand, however, the boy becomes distraught, rapidly coming to the realization that this is going to be the day he's secretly feared—the day when a harsher punishment is in order. He is dragged all the way to the front gate of Hyrule Castle. The boy feels terribly sick to the stomach at what could happen to him now. He has never been here before, and in all honesty, he greatly dreads this place, being the representation of the wealth and status that the child will never have._

 _"This boy is constantly stealing from me and the other vendors on my street," the merchant explains to one of the guards. "I expect you to punish him so he'll stop this nonsense and let us get back to focusing on our livelihoods!"_

 _The guard motions to one of his comrades in the gatehouse. Handcuffs are soon brought out and placed around the boy's wrists. Now he_ knows _he's in huge trouble._

 _The guard kneels in front of the boy who quickly averts his gaze, too ashamed to make eye contact._

 _"Son...you know you can't be stealing things from others. Didn't your parents ever teach you that?"_

 _"I don't have any, sir," the boy mutters._

 _The guard is surprised by this response. "Both of your parents are...?"_

 _"I really don't know much about them. My mother died a long time ago. She told me my father was a knight who died in combat. I've been living on the streets ever since she died because nobody will take me in."_

 _"Is that so...?" The guard stays in contemplation for several moments. "Stay right here, son." He talks with his comrades inside the guardhouse, keeping an eye on the destitute child the whole time. Eventually, the guard returns._

 _"Son...how would you like to live at the castle and learn how to be a soldier?"_

 _"A...soldier?" The boy couldn't believe his ears. Was he really being offered the chance to make something out of his life? To have a purpose?_

 _"Yes. The King's always looking for a few good men to join his ranks. We don't normally offer anything to someone as young as you, but since you've got no place else to go, we'll make an exception for ya. Besides...we can't have you returning to the streets causing any more problems, so this will kill two birds with one stone."_

 _The boy nodded anxiously in agreement. He was eager to have the chance to turn his life around...to follow in his father's footsteps._

O.O.O.O.O.O

"...And that's how you came to serve in the Imperial Guard," Zelda finishes explaining.

"No family, huh?" Link mutters, picking at his food. "Figures."

"I'm so sorry, Link," she sympathizes, coming to his side and placing an arm around him. "If it's any consolation, we've all lost a lot as a result of Ganon. I've lost both of my parents as well...but that doesn't make life any less worth living. All it means is that we must find our life's purpose in other sources."

Link sighs heavily. "Yeah...I guess you're right. I should probably consider myself lucky to have been selected as your personal knight, for one thing. Otherwise, I might have died in the castle along with everyone else...goddesses rest their souls."

Upon hearing this, Zelda is brought back to a memory of her own...

O.O.O.O.O.O

 _"What are you doing, Father?" asks Zelda in the King's cavernous office. He is poring over some documents on his desk, analyzing them closely._

 _"Zelda, I have decided that you need a higher level of protection than what you are currently receiving."_

 _"What do you mean?"_

 _"Because of your capacity for the sealing power, your survival means everything. Therefore, you need a more personal level of protection...a knight dedicated solely to your defense."_

 _Zelda is irritated to be reminded of her sealing power...or lack thereof. She scoffs at his accusation that she is so helpless as to need constant supervision, much like an infant. "I really don't think I need someone following me everywhere, Father. What about my privacy? Is this really necessary?"_

 _"You are my daughter and you will obey my commands," he decrees curtly._

How typical of him to not bother giving an explanation and simply resorting to the "I have more power than you so you will obey me" approach _, Zelda muses with contempt._

 _She looks over the handful of papers on her father's desk which contain the profiles of the most distinguished knights in Hyrule's royal guard. She deduces that these must be the men her father has narrowed the selections down to. She recognizes all the knights in the profiles and is unsurprised by the choices...until her eyes fall on one paper in particular. She sees the profile of Link, easily the youngest of all the knights her father is considering. Zelda recalls how Link's dedication to his work and deftness with all manner of weapons, almost as if it were innate, was so exemplary that he quickly rose through the ranks until being recommended for knighthood at an unprecedented young age. He was well-known around the castle for those very reasons._

 _"What about this boy?" Zelda asks. "I know much about his impressive deeds. Isn't he quite precocious and gifted for his years?"_

 _"Of course, that is precisely why he is on my shortlist of possible bodyguards for you. However, his lack of an extensive history combined with the uncertainty of his past make him a risky choice indeed. I am leaning instead toward Donovan here..."_

 _"But look at all his accomplishments," Zelda protests. "You can't rule him out based on things he has no control over!"_

 _"I can and I will, Zelda! This isn't a game! You need the best level of protection we can provide for you!" he insists stubbornly._

 _"That's it, Father! I've had enough of you telling me what to do and that my opinion doesn't matter! If you don't let me choose my own bodyguard, then I won't allow one at all!" She crosses her arms, huffs, and stamps a foot for maximum emphasis._

O.O.O.O.O.O

Zelda knows she will never forget the stunned expression on her father's face following her outburst that day.

She glances over at Link who is busy packing away cooking utensils into his saddlebags after finishing his lunch. She notices how the sunlight reflects off his golden hair in a way that's almost mesmerizing. Seeing this brings forth one last detail from Zelda's memory...about how the entry she placed in her diary following Link's selection as her personal knight had been somewhat untruthful. Out of fear that someone would surreptitiously read it one day, she had concealed the fact that her father chose Link as her personal knight only _after_ Zelda made her lengthy, impassioned argument which had somehow, miraculously paid off (unfortunately, she never again would have such luck in changing her father's stubborn ways). Her insistence on having him as her bodyguard was not based on the most wholesome of reasons, either—it was at least partially motivated by a strong desire to be close to him...as well as by this undeniable attraction she's always had for him...

 _This is one memory Link doesn't really need to know about..._ she muses in embarrassment, feeling heat rise to her cheeks as he looks her way.

O.O.O.O.O.O

A/N: I know this chapter may be somewhat inconsistent with what Zelda says about Link's past in one of the memories from the game, but I think giving him a past like this fits better in line with what she wrote about him in her diary (that he has faced hardships in his life).

I have no idea how many chapters I will write of this. That will probably depend heavily on reader interest...

.

Outtake:

"I can and I will, Zelda! This isn't a game!"

"Actually, it is. Subtitled 'Breath of the Wild,' Nintendo released it in 2017 for the Wii U and Switch. It's the first Zelda game to feature voice acting and..."

(King Rhoam facepalms)


	2. Forest Haze

2nd Memory – Forest Haze

.

"Why are we going this way?" asks Zelda. She sees some woods in the distance shrouded by fog, making it apparent that Link isn't following the route she had expected him to take for Goron City. Their goal is to recruit some members of the burly, industrious Goron race whose impressive strength would undoubtedly be invaluable in the reconstruction effort.

"I'd like to see the Deku Tree for advice before we go to Death Mountain," Link responds.

"Wait!" Zelda cries, pulling the reigns back so her horse will stop in its tracks. "I'm—I'm not going back there!"

Link likewise halts his horse and turns to face her, puzzled.

"Oh, that's right...you wouldn't remember..." she recalls. "A hundred years ago, we went to the Deku Tree to see if he knew why my sealing power hadn't awakened yet. Something terrible happened when we passed through that very forest..."

O.O.O.O.O.O

 _Zelda is seen standing next to Link who is holding a torch, lighting the way along a dark route through the Lost Woods._

 _"I don't like the look of this place, Link. It shouldn't be dark here in the middle of the day like this. Can't we find another way to get to the Deku Tree?" Zelda's voice trembles with a subtle but clearly present fear._

 _"Just stay close," he insists. Although doing his best to sound confident, something a knight is trained to always be, he is truthfully also fearful of the potential dangers lurking in this remarkably eerie place._

 _Thinking he sees a torch standing in the ground off in the distance, Link begins heading toward it. Following close behind, Zelda spies her surroundings nervously. She could swear the trees look as if they have faces carved into their bark, as if they're glaring at her, daring her to enter their haunted domain. But no, it couldn't be...she must be seeing things..._

 _Zelda then glances back in Link's direction to see him...gone! Her heart was already beating fast before, but now it feels at the point of bursting from her chest. She calls his name frantically numerous times but receives not even a distant echo in response._

 _Zelda begins breathing deeply in an attempt to calm herself. In his endless concern for her welfare, Link had wisely prepared Zelda with a plan for every possible contingency, including a scenario involving his sudden disappearance. He had instructed her to make her way to the nearest horse stable to wait for him to find her._

There's just one teensy problem with that plan—I have no clue how to get to the nearest horse stable from this creepy place! _Zelda thinks in panic._

 _The thick fog and densely-packed trees obscure her sight of anything more than a short distance away. She whistles for her horse but, as expected, there's no response. She looks all around but sees no trails or any sign whatsoever of which way might lead out of this goddesses-forsaken place._

 _It appears that her only options are to stay in place and hope to be found or to pick a random direction and start walking. With a desire not to have to rely on others for her survival, she decides on the latter._

Is it just me or is this fog getting thicker with every step I take? _Zelda wonders. She notices it becoming so soupy that she can hardly see the hand in front of her face. Her worry increases tenfold that she will run right into some perilous situation under these unfavorable circumstances._

What is _wrong_ with this place? How the devil do I get out of here?!

 _Zelda is quickly turning frantic. She clenches her teeth and closes her eyes momentarily, trying to calm herself, to take control of her fears like any good leader should be able to under stress, no matter how great._

 _This is when she begins to hear a distant, unnatural noise. Is it...a child crying? She can't be sure because of its faintness, but it certainly sounds like someone shedding tears._

 _Zelda cautiously heads in the direction of the noise, taking small steps out of fear of what might be concealed in the fog. To her great relief, the fog starts to recede from her position, as if yielding to her._

 _When she reaches the source of the noise, she sees a child sitting on the ground wearing a pointed straw hat and clothing made from dried grass and other organic materials bound together. It appears to be a boy. His face is resting on his arms which are folded on a tree stump in front of him._

 _"What are you doing here, sweetheart?" Zelda asks. "You're not alone out here, are you?"_

 _Even after a long, uncomfortable pause, she receives no response. He simply continues crying. So she approaches the boy and gently touches his shoulder._

 _This is the precise moment when he suddenly jerks his head around, revealing his face to be nothing but a ghastly skull! He lets out the most hideous laugh Zelda has ever heard and starts floating out of nowhere! He even inclines himself in midair and crosses his legs casually, undoubtedly through the use of some strange magic. Then, with a snap of his fingers, he's gone without a trace._

 _Zelda is so startled by this sight that she lets out a loud gasp and steps backward a few paces. She begins feeling herself sinking into something viscous and mushy. After looking down to see what's making it so difficult for her to move her feet, she is horrified to find herself mired in a swamp past her ankles!_

 _It seems that the more she struggles, the more futile her efforts are to lift her feet from the muck to the safe land that is so tantalizingly close. All she can do is cry for help and continue trying to dig her way out of the bog, neither of which is yielding even a shred of success._

 _"Here...take my hand," says a familiar voice, seemingly from out of thin air._

 _Zelda redirects her gaze to find a silhouette standing directly in front of her._ Is that...? Could that really be...? _she wonders._

 _"Oh, thank the goddesses, Link! Please help me!" She eagerly reaches for his hand...only to see in horror that her own hand simply passes right through his!_

What in the name of the goddesses is going on?!

 _The silhouette of Link begins cackling. She suddenly notices his eyes—a deeper red than even that of the blood moon!_

 _Zelda lets out a bloodcurdling scream. She's given up all hope of maintaining her composure in this insane place. She can't take it anymore...she must be losing it..._

.

.

.

 _"...da! ...Zelda! ...Wake up, Zelda!"_

 _She only reluctantly begins to open her eyes at this request, afraid for what she might see after all the terrors she's faced...and, in all actuality, what she encounters next may indeed be the strangest thing she's witnessed thus far, because nothing is out of the ordinary in the least! She finds herself benignly laying next to a campfire in a forest with Link leaning over her form, observing her with great concern._

 _"Are you OK?" he asks._

 _Zelda sits stark upright. "W-what in the name of the goddesses just happened?!"_

 _"We were walking through the woods," Link recounts, "when you suddenly started yelling my name even though I was standing right next to you. Then it seemed like you were hallucinating because you looked all panicked and were talking to yourself. Then finally you just fainted right where you stood. We had almost reached the Deku Tree's meadow, too. What the heck happened to make you act like that?"_

O.O.O.O.O.O

"...and that's why I don't ever want to go back in there," Zelda explains. "It was one of the most terrifying ordeals of my life, so vivid and lifelike that it couldn't have just been a hallucination! And if it hadn't been for a group of Koroks offering to be my guide through the Lost Woods after you were fatally wounded, I probably never would have had the nerve to return the Master Sword to its pedestal. I wouldn't go through there again unless my life depended on it!" She shook her head vigorously from side to side for added emphasis.

Link takes her hand and gives it a reassuring squeeze. "Don't worry. I won't let that happen again. We won't get separated."

For some strange, silly reason, that's all it takes. Zelda trusts him. Hand in hand, they make their way through the forest, this time entirely without incident.

.

As they enter the Deku Tree's meadow, a number of diminutive leaf-faced Koroks peek out at Link and Zelda from behind tree branches, only to disappear as soon as the two draw near.

The Deku Tree seems to smile ever-so-slightly at seeing the duo approach him...as much as a tree can possibly smile, that is.

"How good it is to see both of you alive and healthy," he booms. "Allow me to congratulate you on your defeat of Calamity Ganon. Your bravery and dedication to Hyrule will surely be remembered throughout the ages."

"Thank you," they respond in unison.

"Now, Zelda...have you told this young man what you tried to convey to me a hundred years ago?"

"Uh...um, no, I haven't, actually..."

Zelda begins to blush as Link looks over at her. "What thing is he talking about?" he asks, genuinely curious.

"Oh, ho ho!" the Deku Tree guffaws heartily. "Looks like you had better find a quiet spot to tell him, then. Don't be shy, dear. Speak from the heart." It almost seems like he winks at her...if that's even possible for a tree to do.

Zelda's heart begins pounding rapidly. There is, in fact, a good reason she hasn't done it yet...and that's simply because she's always much too nervous when she makes any attempt at it. Every time she tries to tell him, she becomes horribly tongue-tied and ends up fidgeting so much that she loses all her nerve and quickly changes the subject to the weather or some other innocuous topic. Now that the Deku Tree has put it out in the open, however, it appears she has no choice but to come clean...

She motions for Link to follow her to a secluded part of the forest. She stands opposite him, doing her best to lessen her anxiety.

"The thing I wanted to say is..."

Zelda simply trails off, not sure how to complete this deceptively complex sentence. She knows there must be some better way of relaying her message to him than through the use of words. Frankly, words are simply failing her right now. So she resolves to express herself in a more basic way...she wraps both her arms around Link, places her head against his shoulder, and hugs him securely.

Link is taken aback by this unexpected gesture. Despite his surprise, however, he is soon placing his own arms around her slender form. "What's this for?"

Zelda finally feels the words she's longed to say for an entire century coming back to her. "For everything you've done for me and Hyrule, especially considering how difficult I've been with you on so many occasions. In spite of this, your loyalty and dedication have never wavered. You've made such an incredible sacrifice for the sake of the greater good. We owe everything to you, Link. _I_ owe everything to you. Thank you so much!" She hugs him all the tighter, simultaneously thinking in some subconscious part of her mind that even if this moment could last a century, it still wouldn't be enough.

"Zelda...there's no need to thank me. Spending time in your service is never a chore. I was just doing my job."

She scoffs. "You're modest almost to a fault, Link. That's one of the things I've always loved about you." Then, realizing what she just let slip, she adds quickly, "I—I mean, that's what I've always...you know... _respected_ about you."

By this point, Zelda feels almost dizzy from embarrassment, yet she's still clear-headed enough to notice the unmistakable form of several mischievous Koroks peeking at them from amongst the leaves in a tree off to the side.

"Why, you little..." Zelda reproaches. "Were you spying on us all along?"

The Koroks quickly disappear as soon as they see they've been spotted.

"I think we have an audience in this forest," Link remarks, laughing.

 _Yes...an audience I wouldn't mind making some firewood out of..._ Zelda thinks, now turning red from both anger _and_ embarrassment.

O.O.O.O.O.O

Outtake:

"I—I mean, that's what I've always...you know... _respected_ about you." (...Hehe, he still has no idea how much I've been crushing on him all these years...)"

"Um...Zelda? Did you mean to say that part in parentheses out loud?"

.

.

.

"(...Oops)"


	3. Stranded

3rd Memory – Stranded

.

 _"_ _What's this?" asks Link, dismounting his horse to pick up and examine the glass bottle he finds partially buried on the seashore. The two have been riding their horses through the surf of Hyrule's southeastern coastline, searching for supplies that Mipha from Zora's Domain had requested they find in order to make some necessary repairs to Divine Beast Vah Ruta._

 _Link uncorks and inverts the bottle, shaking out the contents to reveal...a yellowed scroll? Link unfurls the document and analyzes it closely, noting how the oddly-shaped circles on it are spaced at irregular intervals. He notices various markings in the circles, some of which seem to be rough drawings of trees but the rest are almost too difficult to interpret. An enormous X is marked in one of the circles._

 _Zelda comes to his side to also examine the parchment. "Looks like a crude treasure map," she eventually declares. "I bet this X marks a treasure..." She places a hand to her forehead to shield her eyes from the sun while studying the assortment of small islands scattered in the sea, then adds, "...and that this is a map of the area. Too bad we don't have time to go on a treasure hunt, though. We need to get these supplies to Mipha as soon as possible."_

O.O.O.O.O.O

"...So yes, we have been here before," Zelda finishes explaining. The duo has just left Lurelin Village where they recruited more workers and building supplies for the reconstruction.

"Do you remember what happened to that map?" Link asks.

"I think you buried it somewhere around here, saying you were going to return some day. I think you buried it..." Zelda scans the area around her, "...Oh! It was over there under that rock arch! Next to the cliff!"

Link goes to the spot and begins pushing aside sand, soon creating large mounds all around him. Zelda helps him in his search, although she doesn't think the chances are too good that it will still be here after a hundred years.

"Ah-ha! Found it!" Link shouts triumphantly, eagerly shaking the map out of the bottle.

"I bet you'll want to go look for the treasure now, huh?" she questions with an arched brow even though she's already sure of his answer.

"Of course! This sort of thing's in my nature," he says with a smirk, although he appears to be seriously contemplating his decision a moment later, as if he's having second thoughts.

Zelda puts a hand on her hip, looking mildly annoyed. "I know what you must be thinking—that I'm too delicate to come with you _,_ that I'll just slow you down or get in trouble and have to be rescued, right? But remember—I've been trying to turn over a new leaf. I don't want to stay a damsel in distress forever...especially since Hyrule will be a mostly untamed wilderness for some time to come."

Link reflected on the truth of her words. Lately, she had been asking him to teach her how to use a few of his lighter weapons in an effort to be more self-sufficient. She had started carrying her own short sword, shield, bow and quiver stocked with a variety of arrows recently.

"Yes, I know...but it would be irresponsible of me to knowingly put you into a dangerous situation like that. I still have a duty to uphold, remember?"

After thinking for several long moments, Zelda sighs. "Fine. Then consider your role as my knight and protector to be hereby dissolved. From now on, we're simply traveling companions and friends...and, as your friend, I ask you to help me follow this treasure map since it looks like it'll be a hell of a good time!" she adds with a wide grin.

Link can't help but laugh at her spunk. He has to admit that she makes a pretty convincing argument. In all the time he and Zelda have been traveling together, he's only disobeyed a direct order from her once. He has no plans to add to the count.

O.O.O.O.O.O

The duo are fortunate enough to find a raft in fairly good condition on the shore nearby, probably left by some fisherman who made it to catch fish in the area and then abandoned it. Link uses an enormous leaf he picked off one of the trees in the Korok Forest to put wind in the sails. They set off in the direction of the island that contains the X according to the map. At the pace they're going, Link figures it will take approximately twenty minutes to arrive.

Although the skies were completely clear when they departed, a mass of gray clouds suddenly begins materializing directly above the island and only seems to get darker the closer they come.

"Link...what if we get caught in a storm?" Zelda worries.

"Do you want to turn back?"

"We probably should, shouldn't we...?"

However, a strong breeze chooses that very moment to fill the raft's sail, thereby making the decision for them. The abrupt increase in the raft's velocity causes Zelda to fall ungracefully on her rear while Link, reacting with expert reflexes, swiftly spreads his legs apart and grabs the mast to maintain his balance.

By the time they're only a short distance from the island, a downpour begins pummeling the two and only grows in strength as they continue their approach. The waters turn incredibly choppy, making it harder and harder for them to avoid being bucked from the raft. The ceaseless curtain of water now obscures their view of the island.

Link wraps an arm securely around Zelda so that, in the event they fall to the water, they won't get separated. Although he is really and truly afraid now, he concentrates on the principles he learned during his knight training in an effort to avoid panicking, a tactic which has always worked for him whenever he finds himself in a sticky situation.

A powerful rogue wave eventually does manage to toss the two from the boat and both have to fight to keep their heads above water, an effort which is quickly sapping their energy to dangerously low levels. Link attempts to assist Zelda to the best of his abilities even though it ends up being mostly futile as a result of his own struggles. He knows they must reach the shore soon or they will both drown from exhaustion.

Link is completely disoriented and looks around frantically for any indication of the island's location. His eyes focus on a spot through the wall of rain that stands out because it appears to be brighter than the rest, so he begins swimming toward it while guiding Zelda with one arm.

To his relief, he soon feels his feet touching soft sand. They're both so tired that they can barely drag themselves to shore before collapsing.

A few minutes later, just as suddenly and mysteriously as the storm appeared, it clears, allowing the sun to shine brightly once again, as if it had never yielded to a storm with such fury in the first place.

Although still terribly exhausted and coughing up large amounts of seawater, Zelda manages to push herself up and survey her surroundings. The first thing that's readily apparent is Link's lack of clothing—he's wearing nothing but his boxers!

Zelda turns red upon seeing this and quickly lowers her gaze...which is when she's mortified to find that she's also baring an excess of skin, only sporting her camisole and bikini-style underwear. Having always been a very modest person due in no small part to her formal upbringing, Zelda is immensely embarrassed to be without proper outerwear. She looks all around her for something she can use to cover up but is unable to find anything suitable.

Link begins stirring, opening his eyes weakly and coughing up water. As soon as he spies Zelda in her...state, he looks away, his face simultaneously heating up to an unnatural degree. "Are you...um...OK, Zelda?" he gulps nervously.

"Yes," she returns, equally as nervous. "Just...you know, kind of wishing I knew where my clothes went and all..."

"Same here," Link chuckles, trying to laugh off the awkwardness of their situation. "Guess they might have been torn off while we were in the water or something..." In reality, though, that explanation doesn't seem very likely to him.

What worries Link more than the loss of his threads is the fact that all his equipment is gone too. He had collected a number of useful weapons and items during his travels and losing them all in one go is a source of great frustration. He realizes they will have to be incredibly cautious until they find some suitable replacements to defend themselves with.

"We need to take care of basic necessities first and foremost," Link remarks, ever the survivalist. "We need to gather food and find a source of fresh drinking water. We'll also eventually need to find something to chop trees with and some rope or strong vines to tie them together so we can make a raft to take us back to the mainland." Link sees a worn, sun-bleached oar partially embedded in the sand and goes to collect it. He figures he can make another crude one with the logs he'll chop down to make the raft. That takes care of the question of how to propel the raft.

They begin searching the island for food and supplies. Link soon finds a freshwater pond and promptly dives in to catch fish for their dinner using only his bare hands.

Zelda sits on a downed tree trunk nearby and watches him intently, impressed by his commendable swimming prowess and gracefulness. For having dedicated her life to ancient technology research and unlocking her sealing power, she's never had much time to learn to swim well. Thus, watching someone else do what she only wishes she could is fascinating to her. He manages to catch a number of fish, enough to last them for several meals.

As he pulls himself out of the water, Zelda can't avoid noticing the way the muscles he developed during his long days spent adventuring are flexing with the effort...and the way his hair is now a few (very attractive, she might add) shades darker...and how incredibly handsome he looks with some of his messy, wet hair clinging to his face... She swallows heavily, her heart simultaneously beating at an unrivaled tempo. As Link approaches her with the fish, she's so ashamed of her impure thoughts that she feels compelled to look away...

Interestingly enough, Link faces a similar dilemma as he comes near her. He can't help but note how endlessly long and smooth her legs seem to be...and how hypnotically curvy her hips and slender waist are...and the way her tight-fitting white cami, still soaked from the storm, is clinging to her skin... He makes an audible gulp, suddenly feeling that if his face were to get any hotter, he would have steam coming out his ears.

Much awkward stuttering and clearing of throats occur as the two converse about how to start a fire using only the tools that nature has provided. However, no matter how many times they strike rocks together, they're unable to start one. Since they lack any other ideas for how to cook the food, they're forced to eat it raw. Although Link downs the fish with no hesitation, Zelda only stares at hers with a queasy sensation in her stomach. She can barely bring herself to swallow even a small bite of the slimy fish and almost gags upon finally doing so.

"Ugh! I don't see how you can eat stuff raw like this! It's terrible!" She shoves the fish back at him. "Thanks, but I think I'll just look for some fruit or something. I wasn't really hungry anyway," she mutters.

Link's thoughts begin to wander back to the reason for them even being here—the treasure map. If his memory serves him, this pond was one of the landmarks drawn on it. Although the map was lost along with all their other belongings, he's confident that he committed it to memory well enough that he'll be able to locate the spot marked with an X even without the map. He remembers the X being somewhere near this very pond, so he suggests they climb to the summit of a nearby plateau where they can survey the area.

"Wow...didn't expect the sign to be this obvious," Zelda comments as she looks at a formation of large rocks not too far off in the distance in the unmistakable shape of an X. "That would probably be a good place to start looking."

They head toward the rock formation and start digging at the center of the X, the one and only spot that lacks a rock. Before long, their hands collide with the hard metal top of a treasure chest, so they quickly finish unearthing the lid. Inside, they find...

"What the heck is this? A scale?" Link wonders aloud.

"Oh my gosh, I think this is a dragon scale!" Zelda cries. "If so, this is incredibly rare! We've got to make sure not to lose it!"

Along with the scale, Link pulls out a long rope. "Well, that's convenient—exactly what we needed."

"Maybe whoever left the treasure here included the rope knowing that anyone who was on this island might be stuck and in desperate need of it."

"How thoughtful of them," he says graciously, although he holds back the real question on his mind of why the heck treasure chests are scattered everywhere in the first place. "We just need to find something sharp to cut the logs now."

On their excursion to the far side of the island, the side they have yet to explore, they start to hear the unmistakable sound of snoring in the distance. Link puts a finger to his mouth to signal Zelda to be quiet before he begins creeping toward the source of the noise. Zelda follows close behind, doing the same.

After cresting a small hill, they discover the sound coming from a clearing in a tiny grove up ahead. Through the trees, they spy an enormous, rotund monster they've seen several times in their travels but as of yet have never approached—a hinoc. The creature is wearing a necklace from which hangs a few rusty weapons. If Link's eyes aren't deceiving him, one of them appears to be an ax. What luck!

Link motions for Zelda to hide behind a bush a safe distance away before he starts approaching the monster cautiously in the hope that it won't wake. Link practically has a heart attack when he sees the giant move its arm suddenly, but fortunately, it only seems to be scratching an itch.

After reaching its side, Link begins scaling the hinoc to get within reach of the prize, but doing so causes it to stir. The creature sits upright then uses its hands to heft itself to its feet, finally causing Link to lose his grip and tumble off.

"Oh, crap," Link utters in horror. The hinoc towers over him and slowly blinks its enormous yellow eye. The only thing Link has with him that even remotely resembles a weapon is the boat oar, but considering how much they need it for the raft and how pitiful it would be against a creature of this bulk, he doesn't bother to wield it. He spends a few stunned moments sizing up his opponent, trying to figure out if there's any way to fell the monster despite Link's obvious size disadvantage. However, when the hinoc plucks a tree out of the ground and starts swinging it at Link as if it were an improvised club, he knows he needs to decide on a plan of action quick.

"Hit its eye with something!" Zelda shouts from behind him.

 _Of course. The eyes are almost always the weak point. Why didn't I think of that sooner?_ he berates himself. He rapidly scans his surroundings, not finding anything which would make a decent projectile other than a few rocks. He starts hurling them at the giant and eventually gets a lucky hit, causing the hinoc to drop the tree and instinctively cover its eye protectively.

"Trip him!" Zelda yells.

"How?!" Link shouts back.

In response, she jumps out from the thicket and runs toward him with rope in hand. "Use this!"

She hands him one end of the rope and directs him to circle around the giant until its legs are hopelessly tangled in it while she does the same going in the other direction. After trying to take a futile step, the hinoc loses its balance and falls flat on its side, causing the ground to rumble tremendously. Link takes advantage of this opportunity to hurriedly snatch the ax before it can retaliate.

"Now, run!" Zelda yells as she finishes retrieving the rope.

 _No need to tell me twice_.

O.O.O.O.O.O

Even though they had never made a raft before, it doesn't take the duo long to figure out how to put one together from the logs Link chops down, having selected trees of the appropriate size for the task. Link and Zelda use the old boat oar and a makeshift one he made to steer the raft as they set out for the mainland.

Once they've put a good distance between them and the island, they look down to see themselves mysteriously back to wearing the same clothes they had on before they reached the island. After checking their satchels which have likewise reappeared, they realize they have all their equipment and supplies back as well—and they even got to keep the dragon scale!

They turn and look back at the island one more time.

"Thank the goddesses we're finally getting away from that crazy place," Zelda remarks. Though, in truth, there _is_ one thing she'll undoubtedly miss about the island—or, more specifically, about the way Link looked while they were on the island...and there's a good chance Link is thinking the same thing about her right now, too...

O.O.O.O.O.O

A/N: I want to make clear that I didn't put Link and Zelda in their underwear gratuitously here. If you played the "Stranded" sidequest, you'd know that all Link's clothes magically disappear while on the island as part of the challenge, so I figured it'd only make sense for the same to happen to Zelda if she went there too...and that, of course, left the door wide open for some good old-fashioned fanservice. I could have added way more than I did, but I didn't really want this to turn into one of _those_ types of fanfics...

.

Outtake:

(Zelda notices that she and Link are only wearing their skivvies)

"Hmm...I wonder if there will be a lemon in this chapter..."

(Camera pans to a close-up of a lemon which has fallen from a nearby tree)

"...Yep. Thought so."


	4. Frozen

4th Memory – Frozen

.

Ready to leave their previous ordeal far behind them, Link and Zelda decide to pay a visit to Impa in Kakariko Village to the north.

The elderly Sheikah has a glint in the eye and a warm smile on her face upon seeing them enter. "News has already spread far and wide of your success in the struggle against the Calamity," she informs. "I'm so proud of you both."

They thank her in turn.

Noticing a small amount of electric light radiating from Zelda's satchel, Impa cries, "Oh! What is that you have there, dear?"

"This?" Zelda asks, pulling out the scale.

"Oh, my! That's one of Farosh's scales! How did you ever find something so valuable?"

"It's a funny story, actually..." Zelda starts sheepishly. She proceeds to tell Impa the whole tale...minus the part about them only being in their underwear, of course.

"That reminds me of something I heard spoken of long ago," Impa recalls. "Rumor has it that taking a scale from each of the three dragons to the ruins of the Temple of Time will unlock something of great importance."

"Really?" they gasp collectively.

"Like what?" Zelda asks.

"Of that I am not certain," Impa replies. "I suppose you'll just have to discover that one for yourselves...oh, and that reminds me of one other thing. Lately, we've been hearing the ice dragon Naydra crying from her nest above the Spring of Wisdom. I fear she may be in trouble and need assistance. I hate to trouble you with such a task after all you've already been through, but I can't find anyone else willing and brave enough to make the journey up there to see what's the matter."

Link and Zelda exchanged glances, nodding at each other. "We'll go check on Naydra," Zelda assures the Sheikah.

"Thank you so much, dear."

As the duo turn to leave, Impa adds, "Oh...and Zelda, do be safe and please don't forget to dress appropriately this time. You remember what happened the last time you went up there, don't you?"

Zelda waves her hands in front of her in a desperate attempt to cut Impa off but can only groan in defeat as Impa starts telling the story she once passed on to the Sheikah.

O.O.O.O.O.O

 _"_ _Really, Zelda, I don't mind if you borrow my jacket for a while," Link says as he and Zelda are seen trudging up Mt. Lanaryu. "I've got enough layers on that I'll be fine. I'd much prefer to shiver for a while if it means you won't get sick."_

 _"_ _I appreciate your generosity, Link, but I'm perfectly fine. This sort of thing builds up a person's resistance to the elements, after all," Zelda responds. Her arms are crossed in front of her and she rubs them constantly in an attempt to stay warm. Her only clothing is her white ceremonial dress which is undoubtedly much too thin for this kind of frigid weather._

 _Even after finding out that Hateno Village didn't have any cold-weather gear in stock, Zelda was still determined to climb Mt. Lanaryu without it, insisting that she could deal with "a little cold." Of course, Link almost refused to let her go without appropriate clothing and only relented after she declared that she was going whether he accompanied her or not. Her reasoning was that, since she had collected plenty of spicy peppers during their earlier trip to the Gerudo Desert, she could simply cook a hot meal to warm her up whenever the cold was too much for her. However, her supplies of peppers and other spicy foods hadn't lasted nearly as long as she'd expected, leaving her in her current predicament._

 _Link begrudgingly allows her stubbornness to win out even though he knows she's just setting herself up for a nasty cold...or worse yet, pneumonia. He keeps track of her out of the corner of his eye, looking for the telltale signs of illness. It doesn't take long for the first symptom to rear its head—an innocuous sneeze...then another...and another..._

 _"_ _Do you need a tissue?" he offers._

 _"_ _No thanks" is her firm reply. However, the train of sneezes continues and shows no sign of stopping. A chain of events is set in motion after a particularly violent sneeze—the thick blanket of snow covering the steep mountainside ahead of them suddenly begins sifting downward...then it starts streaming...then so much snow is moving that it's nothing short of an avalanche heading straight for them!_

 _Reacting quickly, Link grabs Zelda's arm and pulls her toward a boulder off to their side which they take refuge behind. To their relief, most of the snow is harmlessly diverted around the large rock, leaving them able to emerge a minute later after they can be reasonably sure the danger has passed._

 _Needless to say, Link doesn't take no for an answer this time after he plops his jacket onto her shoulders._

O.O.O.O.O.O

Zelda bristles at this unwanted recollection, of how she once put them _both_ in grave danger simply by being so stubborn. It was one thing for her stubbornness to put her own self in danger as it had with the Yiga clan ambush on her in the Gerudo Desert, but it was another matter entirely for it to endanger someone else in the process. She had desperately wanted to make it up to Link...if only she'd had the chance to so before the Calamity took place. Zelda was painfully reminded once again of why she had only given Impa a handful of photos to pass on to Link.

"I think you're about the same size as my granddaughter," Impa comments after studying Zelda up and down carefully. "I know Paya has a few cold-weather outfits appropriate for those snowy mountains in her room upstairs. I'm sure she wouldn't mind letting you borrow one of them for a good cause like this. Help yourself."

Zelda is grateful for Impa's generosity. She selects one of the warm wool outfits and changes into it. Likewise, Link dons the cold weather gear he bought a while ago in Rito Village before they depart.

O.O.O.O.O.O

The two trek east toward Mt. Lanaryu, crossing paths with a variety of hardy animals along the way such as white foxes and moose. As dusk approaches, an aurora can clearly be seen against the darkening sky, illuminating it with an incredible breadth of colors.

Even long before reaching the peak of the mountain, decorated with a multitude of enormous ice crystals refracting the lights of the aurora, they can plainly hear Naydra's cries of anguish in the distance. As they come within view of the mountaintop, they see dark pools of concentrated malice covering the dragon's frosted, shimmering scales.

"I thought when we defeated Ganon that all the malice disappeared along with him!" Zelda gasps in horror.

"You and me both," Link replies, disappointment evident in his tone.

Once they reach the summit, Link pulls out his bow and begins shooting arrows at the malice slowly eating the dragon alive, putting it in indescribable agony. Although Zelda thinks taking aim at the friendly dragon is a strange way to help it, after witnessing the lesions continue shrinking the more Link's arrows pierce them, she realizes this must be the only way they can help it. Naydra's scales are protecting it from suffering any actual harm from the arrows, anyway. Thus, Zelda wields her own bow and lets several arrows fly at the dragon, although her aim is noticeably less accurate than Link's from having had far less practice.

Suddenly, Naydra starts flying away from its nest, taking to the skies. The dragon's side-to-side movement with its unbelievably long and slender body creates updrafts all around it. Link knows this is his cue to pull out his paraglider and follow after Naydra using the wind to keep him airborne.

Zelda can do nothing but watch him from the peak, unable to follow for lack of her own paraglider, a unique tool made from a magic-imbued cloth which unfortunately can't be replicated, not even by the most skilled craftsman in all Hyrule. She stares in awe of Link's skill with a bow, shooting arrows as quickly and accurately as if he was somehow bending the very fabric of time itself.

Just as Link is taking care of the last pool of malice on Naydra's lower body, the dragon unexpectedly swipes its tail, unintentionally hitting Link hard and causing him to drop his paraglider and plummet to the snowy ground below.

"Link!" Zelda cries at the top of her lungs. She can't believe what she just witnessed! A fall from such a height probably injured him, maybe even—no. She forces herself to maintain hope in his health and safety. She must have faith that he will pull through!

Zelda swiftly climbs down from Naydra's nest and runs as fast as she can through the high snow to his distant position, stumbling several times along the way but rapidly pushing herself back up.

When she finally reaches Link, she immediately notices his skin is tinged a light, sickly blue. Naydra's frigid tail instantly froze every last drop of moisture on him, causing icicles to stick to his clothing. Link shivers violently and uncontrollably as the cold rapidly numbs various parts of his body. His teeth clack rapidly and his breathing is short and ragged. He only opens his eyes enough to see Zelda hovering over him fretfully before he shuts them once again, unable to concentrate his thoughts on anything while the extreme cold pierces him like knives.

Zelda throws opens her satchel and hastily rummages through it until she finds a small fairy she captured around the great fairy fountain back in Kakariko Village. She silently thanks the goddesses that she remembered to collect one before they set off because it might very well be the only thing which can save his life now. She allows the fairy to work its healing magic on him as it flits around his prone form. Zelda hurriedly builds a fire next to Link using their small supply of logs and flint. She knows his hands and cheeks will succumb to frostbite soon if they aren't warmed promptly so she gets to work rubbing them, the friction generating essential heat.

Even with all her efforts, however, very little improvement can be noted in Link's condition. His skin remains light blue and he continues shivering uncontrollably. Night has fallen and the temperatures are dropping accordingly, so she takes off her jacket and places it over him, knowing he needs it much more than her.

There's one more thing she knows she could do for him which would undoubtedly be beneficial, although she hesitates to offer it out of stark embarrassment. Yet she quickly realizes that now is not the time to let shyness get in the way of helping Link survive the night, so she lays next to him in the snow and wraps her arms around him tightly, bringing her body as close to him as possible.

Zelda notices a large blue object sparkling in the snow not far off. _Is that...one of Naydra's scales?_ she wonders. She makes a mental note to pick it up the next day when she has the chance since she can't afford to leave Link's side at the moment. She enters a light sleep at some point during the night, lulled by the peaceful quiet of the arctic tundra and the softness of the snow which protects them from the biting chill of the wind.

Upon waking the next morning, Zelda looks to her side to see Link stirring ever so slightly. His face is a much healthier color than it was the other day and his symptoms of distress have lessened significantly. He even manages to slowly rise to a sitting position on his own.

Zelda wastes no time before enveloping Hyrule's savior in a tight hug. "I'm so glad you're all right!" she exclaims in excitement.

Link makes an audible groan at this.

"Oh, sorry! Did I hurt you?" she asks worriedly.

"Well...I'm still a little sore from yesterday, but I'll be fine," he responds, placing Zelda's coat back on her. He looks at her intently, face lit up with a smile, before adding, "Thank you."

She smirks. "A brave man once said, 'there's no need to thank me.' And besides, I was just paying you back for what you've done for me so many times before."

"Yes...but it was my duty. You, on the other hand, had no obligation to help me."

Zelda puts a hand to her hip in mock resentment. "Are you saying you wouldn't have helped me all those times before if you didn't have to?"

"Of course I would have still helped you," he protests.

"Then there you go! I helped you because I _wanted_ to, not because I _had_ to—the same way you always help me without giving it a second thought."

Link smiles even wider than before, feeling a warmth spread all over his body that no flame could ever hope to compete with.

O.O.O.O.O.O

A/N: Despite not having a plan for how I would end this fanfic when I started it (never a good idea, BTW), there will be a proper and (more than likely) satisfying ending to this. There will probably only be one or two chapters after this unless I decide to add filler chapters (but I probably won't).

.

Outtake [crossover edition]:

 _(Zelda is trudging through the tundra when a silver-haired, crown-wearing young woman crosses her path belting out a familiar tune...)_

" _Wrong set, Elsa."_

" _But I thought the title of this chapter was—"_

" _The Arendelle set is over there." (Zelda points)_

 _(The ice queen decides to let it go, stomping toward her kingdom of isolation, creating frozen fractals with every step)_


	5. Familiar Endings

Intrigued by what Impa said about finding something of great importance at the Temple of Time after they collect a scale from all three dragons, Link and Zelda head far north from Mt. Lanaryu to Death Mountain, a very active volcano, in search of the last scale. They prepare by stocking up on several fireproof potions at the last horse stable on the way there before the unbearable heat begins to press down on them. The potions keep the intense heat at bay and allow them to maintain a comfortable body temperature...for a time, at least.

As they proceed along the rocky and mostly barren path, they're alarmed to hear screams and cries for help in the distance ahead. They rush toward the sound and see a young Goron in a small clearing being cornered by a massive Talus monster.

In their dormant state, Talus creatures appear to be nothing more than ordinary rocks. Thus, Link and Zelda had (quite literally) stumbled upon a few of them during their travels...yet this is the first one they've ever seen with a "body" so overheated that it's literally molten.

Link knows they can't possibly attack it using any conventional means so he frantically brainstorms ideas for ways they can take it on. However, when the Talus lifts a "fist" with the clear intent to attack the defenseless and terrified young Goron, Link realizes he can't afford to delay any longer. He yells and throws rocks at the Talus to gain its attention and provoke it. The abomination then turns toward Link and starts barreling at him, surprisingly fast for something so enormous. It starts pulling back its fist for another punch, when suddenly, the previously red-hot Talus turns to solid ice! Link looks to his side to find the explanation—Zelda hit it with an ice arrow!

"Good thinking!" Link remarks.

However, just a few seconds later, the Talus breaks free from the ice and finishes throwing its punch. Link can barely react in time to dodge it, having not expected the creature to escape the ice so quickly. No doubt the heat from the volcano caused it to melt so fast.

After unloading a few more ice arrows on the Talus which seem to accomplish very little, Zelda shouts a suggestion to Link. "We may have to do more than just attack it with ice to destroy it!"

Thus, immediately after freezing it with an ice arrow, they ready a few normal arrows into their bows which immediately ignite upon being exposed to the oppressive heat. Each arrow causes pieces of the Talus to fall off until nothing remains of it but insignificant pebbles. Finally, it ceases movement altogether.

The Goron boy who had run away and hid during the fight runs back over to them, jumping up in joy. "Thank you so much, goro! You guys were great, goro!" Only a moment later, though, the Goron suddenly clams up, looking off to the side pensively.

"What's wrong?" Zelda asks.

"Oh...it's just...my dad's gonna kill me if he finds out I went this far from town without an adult, goro!" After mulling over something for several moments, he finally says, "Hey, I've got an idea! If I give you this pretty red scale I found, would you promise not to tell anyone about this little...uh...incident, goro?"

Zelda arcs a brow and crosses her arms in consternation. "You really shouldn't keep secrets from your parents like that, you know..."

"Yes, yes, I know, but...here, just take it, goro!" He shoves the scale at them before tearing off in the direction of Goron City to the north.

The duo sighs heavily, too tired from the battle to follow the kid and reprimand him.

 _Well...at least we have the last scale now_ , Zelda muses.

O.O.O.O.O.O

On their way to the Temple of Time, they make a detour to check on the progress of Castle Town's reconstruction and to drop off the supplies they collected in their travels. There are now a respectable number of workers pitching in to put the kingdom's center of commerce back in order. At least a few members of all the kingdom's races are doing whatever they can to assist: the Zora and Rito bring in supplies along the river and through the air, respectively, the Goron and Gerudo do most of the physical labor, and the Hylians use their nimble fingers to complete miscellaneous tasks such as cooking for the workers, painting, building furniture and the like.

For Link, it feels like ages have past since he first laid eyes upon the Temple, the first major landmark he saw after awakening from his hundred year slumber. Fallen pillars are strewn everywhere, vines grow unfettered along the walls, the floor has been almost completely reclaimed by nature and it seems like only a miracle has kept the roof of such an ancient structure from collapsing entirely throughout so many eons.

Although she can't be certain of when the Temple was constructed, seeing the hallowed place reminds Zelda of stories her mother had frequently told her as a child, tales that had been passed down throughout the countless generations of the Hyrulean royal family. These stories claim that the structure has been in existence since as far back as the era of the Hero of Time. It's estimated, then, that the shrine is over ten thousand years old, an unfathomable stretch of time by any reckoning.

The two approach the enormous goddess statue sitting on a raised platform at the back of the Temple and place all three scales in front of it in offering. Three ethereal rays of light then shine down upon the scales, each corresponding to the colors of the scales.

Suddenly, both Link and Zelda begin seeing visions of what appears to be the Temple's interior, albeit the way it must have looked a long time ago when the place was in top form. A red strip of carpet runs through the Temple's middle, ending at a wide altar. A young boy wearing a green tunic and floppy hat is seen approaching the altar with three sparkling jewels. After placing them on the altar, a door opens to another chamber in the back. The boy enters the chamber and pulls out what is unmistakably the Master Sword from an elevated pedestal, much like the one they're currently standing on.

For a few moments, everything goes black. Then the two see that same boy, but he's suddenly several years older and now practically an adult. A mysterious figure in skin-hugging blue garments appears from the shadows and begins speaking with the man clad in green using an antiquated form of Hylian. Link can't understand their speech at all. Zelda only understands bits and pieces of it thanks to having studied ancient Hylian just enough so she could read old documents regarding the ancient Sheikah technologies.

Next, they see the man in green enter the Temple where the mysterious figure in blue is already waiting. After some conversation, the one in blue abruptly transforms into, of all things, a lovely young woman. She wears a dress so heavily embellished that it couldn't possibly belong to anyone but a member of the royal family. Upon exchanging a few more words, the regal woman unexpectedly becomes trapped in a translucent, crystalline prism which begins hovering above the ground. Both try desperately to break her out of the impromptu prison but the efforts are entirely futile. A malevolent masculine voice echoes through the Temple even though no one else is there with them. Eventually, the woman disappears, leaving the man behind to look around him in shock and horror.

After another period of darkness, they see the young man return to the Temple whereupon he places the Master Sword back in its pedestal. Mysteriously, after being consumed by a flash of light, he is but a boy again, practically dwarfed by the size of the legendary sword in front of him.

One more scene plays before their eyes. A gray-haired woman with a wrinkled face wearing a fine dress is removing a brick from the wall near the Temple's altar. She looks around her as if checking to see if anyone is watching, then places a small box inside before replacing the brick.

After a long and pregnant pause, Link asks slowly, "What...the heck...did we just watch?"

Zelda is fairly confident she knows the meaning behind those scenes but refrains from commenting on it just yet. She casts her gaze around the Temple, trying to picture the last scene in her mind again. She walks toward the wall to her right and begins examining the bricks for any that seem like they could be a little loose. Eventually, she comes to one that juts out slightly more than the others.

"Could you help me pull this out?" she asks Link.

Working together, they manage to get a good enough grip on the bulky stone to heave it out. Just as Zelda had hoped, she finds a box matching the one they saw in the vision shoved into a small alcove behind the stone. She wastes no time in throwing the lid open. Inside, she finds...

 _Hmm_... Zelda wonders. The first thing she sees is a strange, oval-shaped instrument of some kind made from a light purple, ivory-like material which is incredibly smooth to the touch. The green garment and cap the man had been wearing in their visions are also in here. Despite the fragility of most fabrics, it has somehow miraculously been preserved throughout the ages.

The last thing in the box is a letter written with practiced calligraphy on a thick sheet of archival paper. Links studies the letter but since it's written in ancient Hylian he can't make heads or tails out of it. However, when he notices Zelda staring at the paper intently from over his shoulder, he asks her incredulously, "Can you actually read this?"

"Portions of it, yes." He sees her smile at various moments as she reads along, making him especially curious about what's written here.

Finally, she explains. "This is a letter a Hyrulian princess from many ages ago wrote about a dear friend of hers. She apparently put together the contents of this box as a sort of time capsule to memorialize and preserve his legacy after his passing. According to the letter, this purple object is an ancient musical instrument that once held great magical powers and was an indispensable tool for both of them. The way she writes of him leaves no doubt that they were very close friends and allies. In fact, it says here that they were almost inseparable after they conquered Hyrule's greatest threat together."

"Hmm... I think I've heard that story somewhere before," Link comments, his expression reflecting deep contemplation. "...What were their names again?"

Zelda smirks before giving a coy response. "I believe you already know the answer to that..."

She pulls playfully on Link's sky blue champion's tunic, bringing him incredibly close. She then gathers up her courage before leaning in for a kiss, leaving him wide-eyed and thoroughly surprised, although not unpleasantly so...

"It's just like you said before, Link. You and me, we go way back...and I can tell you right now, we're going to be together for a long time to come."


End file.
